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Interviews

From Greece to London: A Mum in London

I'm Alexia, a translator and full time mum, half French/half Greek. I moved from Athens, Greece to London, UK in September 2012 with my husband and our son.

1. Why did you move abroad?
We wanted a big change in our lives and thought to try it the hard way by moving abroad with a 9 months old baby!

2. How do you make a living?
I translate & subtitle films, but actually I'm a full time mum to Baby Lu.

3. How often do you communicate with home and how?
We try to communicate at least once a week with our parents, brothers and sisters. Skype is our preferred communication method, as it is the only way for Baby Lu to see his grandparents.

4. What's your favorite thing about being an expat in London?
London parks: they are so beautiful and really convenient when you have children.

5. What’s the worst thing about being an expat in London?
The weather. Terribly cold in the winter, very grey and rainy in spring and summer.

6. What do you miss most?
Greece's warm climate & beaches. Friends and family. The feeling of "being home".

7. What did you do to meet people and integrate in your new home?
It's so easy to meet people in London. Everyone is so friendly and polite, you feel immediately welcome.

8. What custom/ habits do you find most strange about your adopted culture?
British people are ready to pay thousands of pounds to customize their car's registration number (true example of one I saw recently "I COW"). That's very weird for me.

9. What is a myth about your adopted country?
That British are snob. I find them to be the most polite and friendly people in the world.

10. Is the cost of living higher or lower than the last country you lived in and how has that made a difference in your life?
It's much higher when it comes to rents and childcare. In fact, childcare is so expensive, that sometimes it makes more sense for one parent to stay at home (my case).

11. What advice would you give other expats?
The one I give myself when I'm feeling down: expat life is not easy, but it's so enriching and exciting.

12. When and why did you start your blog?
I started blogging in April 2013, because I wanted to be creative again and because it seemed like a nice way to open up, explore and share my expat life with my friends and family, but also with expats from all over the world.

Alexia's blog, A Mum in London

Guide to London

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 Author: texkourgan |  2013-07-15 11:08:35